U.S. patent number 7,046,145 [Application Number 11/013,724] was granted by the patent office on 2006-05-16 for object carriers for an object control and tracking system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Key Control Holding, Inc.. Invention is credited to William C. Maloney.
United States Patent |
7,046,145 |
Maloney |
May 16, 2006 |
Object carriers for an object control and tracking system
Abstract
Object carriers are provided for use with an object tracking and
control system of the type having a storage receptacle with a tray
provided with an array of slots for receiving ID tags bearing touch
memory devices. A computer-based controller is provided for
detecting the absence or presence and identity of ID tags disposed
in the slots. The carrier of this invention includes a container
with an openable panel for placing objects in and removing objects
from the carrier. A thin plastic tongue projects from the carrier
and bears a touch memory device. Carriers bearing objects to be
tracked are placed in the storage receptacle with their tongues
extending into the slots of the receptacle. The controller can thus
detect and log the removal and replacement of the carrier in the
storage receptacle. In one embodiment, the opening and closing of
the carrier when it is not stored in the receptacle is detected and
logged for tracking access to the carrier in more detail.
Inventors: |
Maloney; William C. (Marietta,
GA) |
Assignee: |
Key Control Holding, Inc.
(Houston, TX)
|
Family
ID: |
26796674 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/013,724 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2004 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20050099305 A1 |
May 12, 2005 |
|
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
10704014 |
Nov 7, 2003 |
|
|
|
|
09792987 |
Feb 26, 2001 |
6501379 |
|
|
|
09393225 |
Sep 9, 1999 |
6195005 |
|
|
|
60099954 |
Sep 11, 1998 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/568.1;
340/572.7; 340/572.1; 340/568.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G08B
13/2434 (20130101); G08B 13/2448 (20130101); G08B
13/2417 (20130101); G08B 13/2482 (20130101); A47G
29/10 (20130101); G08B 13/1427 (20130101); G08B
13/2431 (20130101); G08B 21/0286 (20130101); G08B
13/2462 (20130101); G08B 13/2477 (20130101); G08B
13/1454 (20130101); G08B 13/2474 (20130101); G08B
21/0288 (20130101); G06K 17/00 (20130101); G08B
13/1463 (20130101); G07B 15/04 (20130101); G08B
13/2471 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
13/14 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;340/568.1,568.7,572.1,572.2,572.4,572.7,572.8,572.9,551,825.34,825.49
;235/375,381,385 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1364535 |
|
Aug 1974 |
|
GB |
|
WO9504324 |
|
Feb 1993 |
|
WO |
|
WO9512858 |
|
May 1995 |
|
WO |
|
WO 96/31790 |
|
Oct 1996 |
|
WO |
|
WO 97/04338 |
|
Feb 1997 |
|
WO |
|
WO 97/09687 |
|
Mar 1997 |
|
WO |
|
WO 97/48990 |
|
Dec 1997 |
|
WO |
|
WO 98/15851 |
|
Apr 1998 |
|
WO |
|
WO 98/15853 |
|
Apr 1998 |
|
WO |
|
WO 98/26312 |
|
Jun 1998 |
|
WO |
|
WO 99/09436 |
|
Feb 1999 |
|
WO |
|
WO 99/23741 |
|
May 1999 |
|
WO |
|
WO 99/35516 |
|
Jul 1999 |
|
WO |
|
Other References
Booklet "50 Ways to Touch Memory--Third Edition"; Dallas
Semiconductor--Dallas, TX; 1994; pp. 1-92. cited by other .
KEY-VAULT--Advanced Key Management Brochure--Integrated Software
Solutions, Inc. 2003. cited by other .
DALLAS Semiconductor--DS2407 Dual Addressable Switch Plus 1K-Bit
Memory--2 Page Brochure--1995. cited by other .
DALLAS Semiconductor--Application Note 104--Minimalist Temperature
Control Demo--pp. 1901-1904--1995. cited by other .
DALLAS Semiconductor--Application Note 106--Complex MicroLANs--pp.
1905-1919--1995. cited by other .
Affidavit of James R. Adams, Ph.D. In Support of Key Register's
Response to Key-Trak's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment dated
Sep. 4, 2003--Along with 6 Exhibits. cited by other .
Affidavit of James R. Adams, Ph.D. In Support of Key Register's
Response to Key-Trak's Motion Combined Motion for Partial Summary
Judgment dated Sep. 4, 2003--Along with 9 Exhibits. cited by other
.
Defendants' Opposition to Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on
Defendants' Unenforceability and Unclean Hands Affirmative Defenses
dated Sep. 4, 2003. cited by other .
Defendants' Opposition to Combined Motion for Partial Summary
Judgment on Infringement and Validity and for Certification dated
Sep. 4, 2003. cited by other .
Declaration of Michael R. Slobasky, Esq. Dated Sep. 4, 2003. cited
by other .
Plaintiff's Motion for Partial Summary Judgment on Defendants'
Unenforceability and Unclean Hands Affirmative Defenses, Notice of
Motion, and Supporting Memorandum of Points and Authorities. cited
by other .
[Proposed] Order Granting Plaintiff's Motion for Partial Summary
Judgment on Defendants' Unenforceability and Unclean Hands
Affirmative Defenses. cited by other .
Plaintiff's Combined Motion for Partial Summary Judgment of
Infringement and Validity and for Certification, Notice of Motion,
and Supporting Memorandum of Points and Authorities. cited by other
.
Memory-Based Identifier Tag Provdes Digital ID--Dave Bursky-
Electronic Design--Jul. 25, 1992--pp. 153 and 156. cited by
other.
|
Primary Examiner: Trieu; Van T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Jackson Walker L.L.P. Tidwell,
Esq.; Mark A.
Parent Case Text
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/704,014 filed on Nov. 7, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/792,987 filed Feb. 26, 2001, now
U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,379, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/393,225 filed Sep. 9, 1999, now U.S. Pat.
No. 6,195,005, which, in turn, claims the benefit of the filing
date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/099,954
filed Sep. 11, 1998.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A box assembly for use with an object control and tracking
system wherein a storage receptacle is provided with an array of
slots for receiving identification tags bearing touch memory
devices and wherein an identification tag is associable with the
box assembly, a controller for determining the absence or presence
and identity of identification tags disposed in the slots, wherein
each identification tag further can be associated with an object to
be tracked, said box assembly comprising: a. a container having an
opening for accessing the interior of the container to place
objects in the container and remove objects from the container; b.
a panel adapted to cover said opening to close objects within said
container; and c. an aperture in said container into which said
object can be inserted so as to extent into the interior of said
container.
2. A box assembly as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said container
is generally rectangular having one open side defining said
opening.
3. A box assembly as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said panel is
hingedly attached to said container and is hingable between a
closed position closing said container and an open position opening
said container.
4. A box assembly as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said panel is
attachable to said container to close said opening and displacable
to said container to open said opening.
5. A box assembly as claimed in claim 4 and wherein said panel is
secured in a closed position when the identification tag associated
with the box assembly is mounted in a slot.
6. A box assembly as claimed in claim 1 and wherein said panel is
locked in place so as to cover said opening when the identification
tag associated with the box assembly is mounted in a slot.
7. An object control and tracking system comprising: a. an
identification tag to which an object is attachable; b. a memory
device on said tag, said memory device storing a ID code
identifying said object; c. a storage unit defining an array of
slots sized to receive said tag; d. an array of electrical
contacts, each electrical contact being associated with a
respective one of said slots and being positioned to engage said
memory device of said tag when said tag is inserted into said slot;
e. at least one box for receiving and containing the object
attached to the tag when said tag is mounted in a slot; and f. a
controller coupled through a communications link to said electrical
contacts, said controller being programmed to access the memory
device of said tag disposed in a slot of said storage unit to
determine the absence or presence and identity of the tag in the
storage unit.
8. A method of tracking access to an object associated with an
identification tag, said method comprising the steps of: a.
providing a storage receptacle with an array of slots defined
therein; b. placing the object in a box having a door movable
between an open position and a closed position; c. closing the door
of said box; d. inserting an identification tag in a slot so as to
secure said door in a closed position; e. detecting and logging the
presence of the tag in the storage receptacle; f. detecting and
logging the removal of the tag from the storage receptacle; g.
repeating steps (d) and (f) each time the tag is placed in and
removed from the storage receptacle and compiling the logged
information as a record of access to the object in the box.
9. An object control and tracking system for tracking a plurality
of separate objects, said system comprising: a. a storage
receptacle in which an array of slots is defined; b. an
identification tag with which an object can be associated; c. a
memory device carried by said identification tag; and d. a box
shaped body having an opening for accessing the interior of said
box, said interior capable of receiving an object associated with
an identification tag; e. wherein an object can be disposed in said
interior of said box shaped body when said identification tag is
seated in a slot.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein said box shaped body further
comprises a panel adapted to cover said opening.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein said panel is movable between
an open position and a closed position and wherein said panel is
secured in the closed position when said identification tag is
seated in said slot.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein said object extends into the
interior of said box when said panel is covering said opening.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein said panel is selectively
lockable to enclose the interior of said box shaped body when said
identification tag is seated in said slot.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein said panel is a hinged
door.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein said object extends into the
interior of said box shaped body when said identification tag is
seated in said slot.
16. The system of claim 9, wherein said object is attached to said
identification tag.
17. The system of claim 9, wherein said object is locked within
said interior when said identification tag is seated in said
slot.
18. An object control and tracking system for tracking a plurality
of separate objects, said system comprising: a. a storage
receptacle in which a plurality of openings is defined; b. an
identification tag with which an object can be associated; c. a
memory device carried by said identification tag; and d. a box
shaped body mounted in an opening, said box shaped body defined by
an interior for receipt of an object, e. wherein said box shaped
body is associated with said identification tag to identify the
object in the box.
19. The system of claim 18, said receptacle further comprising a
slot for receipt of the identification tag associated with the box
shaped body.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein said box shaped body further
comprises a panel adapted to cover said interior.
21. The system of claim 20, wherein said panel is movable between
an open position and a closed position and wherein said panel is
secured in the closed position when said identification tag is
seated in said slot.
22. The system of claim 20, wherein said object extends into the
interior of said box when said panel is covering said interior.
23. The system of claim 20, wherein said panel is movable between
an open position and a closed position and wherein said panel is
locked in the closed position when said identification tag is
seated in said slot.
24. The system of claim 20, wherein said panel is a hinged
door.
25. The system of claim 18, said receptacle further comprising a
slot adjacent the opening and associated with the box shaped body,
wherein said slot is disposed for seating said identification tag
therein.
26. The system of claim 18, wherein said box shaped body further
comprises a panel adapted to cover said interior.
27. The system of claim 18, wherein said object extends into the
interior of said box shaped body when said identification tag is
seated in said slot.
28. The system of claim 18, wherein said object is attached to said
identification tag.
29. The system of claim 18, wherein said object is locked within
said interior when said identification tag is seated in said slot.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to object tracking and control
systems and more particularly to enhancements usable with such
systems for tracking larger or collections of keys and loose
objects other than keys.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many objects have intrinsic value or have value because they
provide access to other valuable objects. For instance, jewelry and
coins have inherent and intrinsic value while keys, such as keys to
vehicles, have value because they provide access to other valuable
objects, namely automobiles and trucks. Further, access to and
control of some items, such as narcotics for example, needs to be
monitored, tracked, and controlled to assure against unauthorized
access or to assure that proper and appropriate access is
catalogued. There is a serious need to be able to track, catalogue
access to, and control such objects in a way that is reliable,
simple to implement, and virtually tamper proof.
In the past, a variety of systems have been implemented to track
and control objects. In the case of keys in an automobile
dealership, for example, peg boards have been used to keep track of
the keys as salespersons, maintenance personnel, and others remove
keys for access to vehicles. Generally, sign-out sheets have been
used to log the check-in and check-out of such keys. Obviously,
such a manual system of tracking has numerous shortcomings due in
large part to the very real potential of human error and
forgetfulness in carrying out the sign-in and sign-out
procedures.
More recently, automated computer controlled key tracking systems
have been implemented for tracking, for example, vehicle keys at
car lots and keys to the apartments of apartment complexes. One
such system particularly applicable to the present invention is the
key tracking system disclosed and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No.
5,801,628 and my pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/073,757, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated fully
by reference. In this system, referred to herein as the "Key Track"
system, keys to a vehicle are attached with a rivet or the like to
a thin plastic key tag having a depending tongue. The tongue
carries a small button-shaped electronic touch memory device, which
stores a ID code. The tongues of the key tags are configured to be
insertable in an array of slots formed in a panel within a storage
drawer. A printed circuit back plane is disposed beneath the array
of slots and is provided with a plurality of pairs of metal
contacts, each pair of contacts being aligned with a corresponding
one of the slots. When the tongue of a key tag is inserted in a
selected one of the slots, its touch memory device is engaged by
the corresponding pair of contacts.
A computer based controller is electronically coupled through a
data matrix to the contacts on the back plane and periodically
polls each pair of contacts, preferably several times per second,
to determine the presence or absence of a touch memory device and
thus which slots contain key tags and which do not. When a slot
contains a key tag, the touch memory device of the tag is read to
determine its ID code, from which the identity of the particular
key on the tag can be determined through a table lookup. In this
way, the absence or presence and location of the key tags and their
associated keys can be noted by the controller each time the array
of contacts are polled. If a tag present in a slot on a prior
polling is absent on a subsequent polling, then the controller
notes that that the tag and its key has been removed from the
storage drawer. Conversely, if a key tag is detected in a
previously empty slot, the controller notes that the tag and its
key have been replaced in the storage drawer. The removal and
replacement of keys is therefore continuously monitored.
An access feature requires an authorized user such a salesperson to
enter an ID code to unlock and access the storage drawer. When the
history of removal and replacement of key tags and their keys is
combined with other information such as the time at which tags are
removed and replaced and the identities of the persons who accessed
the drawer and times of access, access to the keys in the drawer
can be controlled and a detailed tracking log can be created. This
system greatly decreases instances of lost keys, reduces the time
required to find checked-out keys, and generally provides automatic
tracking and control of the keys, and thus, to a large extent,
controls and tracks the vehicles to which they provide access.
While the Key Track system described above has proven extremely
valuable in the tracking and control of keys, it nevertheless has
been limited somewhat in the situations to which it is readily
applicable. For example, the tags used with the system are made of
thin relatively flat plastic material that generally provides for
the attachment of a single or only a few keys to the tag. It has
been difficult to attach a large collection of keys such as keys on
a key ring and even more difficult to attach larger special
function keys such as keys that incorporate electronic transmitters
for locking and unlocking a car remotely. In these situations, it
has been experienced that keys can fall or hang into the slots of
the Key Track drawer and short out one or more of the contacts on
the backplane, resulting in system errors or failure. While simply
providing larger tags is helpful, it has not proven to be a
complete solution. Furthermore, the system has generally been
poorly applicable to the tracking of loose items such as, for
example, jewelry, narcotics, and the like because such items cannot
easily be attached to a tag. The present invention is intended to
enhance and expand the basic Key Track system for application to
these and other situations.
Another relative shortcoming of present electronic key tracking
systems such as the Key Track system, and object tracking systems
in general, has been limitations resulting from the fact that the
keys are only detectable upon check-in and check-out at a central
storage location. This has meant that tracking of keys has
generally been limited to keeping a log of when the keys are
physically removed and replaced in a central storage receptacle.
The disposition of keys in the interim has not been trackable.
Nevertheless, it is clearly useful to track the movement and use of
keys and other objects in the interim between the times when they
are checked out and checked back in at the central storage
location. For example, in the case of tracking use of keys to
apartments by maintenance personnel, it is desirable to know not
only that a group of keys were checked out and checked back in at
particular times, but also when the keys were used in the interim
to access apartments such information can be useful, for example,
when claims of theft or vandalism are levied against security
personnel. It can also be useful in general security dispatching to
insure that security guards check in at all required stations while
making security rounds and to log the activities of such guards
during their rounds. In the tracking of narcotics at a hospital, it
is desirable to know when and by whom particular narcotics are
checked out and checked back in and also the time at which the
narcotics are accessed in the interim between check-out and
check-in times. In this way, confirmation that patients receive the
proper prescriptions at the proper times can easily be made by
referring to the resulting log of check-out, access, and check in
times. The basic Key Track system has not been readily applicable
to such situations.
Thus, even though the Key Track system has proven very useful,
there exists a continuing need to enhance the system by providing
for the tracking of larger and builder keys and key collections, by
providing for the tracking and control of the use of keys and other
articles in the interim between check out and check in, and, in a
more general sense, to provide for the tracking and control of
larger or loose items such as jewelry and narcotics. It is to the
provision of such enhancements and improvements that the present
invention is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention, in one preferred
embodiment thereof, comprises enhancements to the Key Track system
disclosed in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,628 to adapt the system for use
in tracking and controlling large collections of or bulky keys,
such as keys on a key ring or remote access transmitter keys, and
in tracking and controlling larger or loose objects other than
keys. The heart of the enhancement is a carrier or box adapted to
contain a ring of keys, a larger electronic access key, or objects
other than keys, such as, for example, jewelry or narcotics. In one
embodiment, the carrier comprises a rectangular box-shaped
container with an openable door panel on one side. The door panel
may be hinged for access to the container or may be displacably or
removably attached in another way such as by sliding attachment
slots. In one configuration for use with keys on a key ring, the
container has a slot on its bottom side and the key ring is
provided with an ID tag having a relatively thin plastic tongue
carrying a touch memory device. In use, the container is opened and
the key ring is placed in the container with its ID tag extending
through the slot in the bottom of the container. The container is
then shut to contain the key ring and its keys whereupon the entire
container can be selectively placed in and removed from the Key
Track drawer with the protruding ID tag extending into one of the
key tag slots in the drawer. The key ring is thus tracked and
access to it controlled in the same manner as a single key attached
to a traditional key tag.
To facilitate the alignment of containers with slots in the Key
Track drawer, an overlay formed of stamped metal or a wire grid can
be attached within the Key Track drawer overlying the slots. The
overlay defines an array of openings, each sized to receive a
container. The openings are positioned such that when a container
is slid into one of the openings, the protruding ID tag is directed
into one of the slots in the drawer allowing the controller to read
the presence of the ID tag and its key ring within the drawer.
Another embodiment of the invention is intended for use with bulky
keys having built in remote entry transmitters or with remote entry
transmitters not combined with keys. It has previously been
difficult to attach such items to a key tag in the traditional key
track system. A smaller container, preferably made of molded
plastic, is sized to contain a remote entry key or transmitter. The
container comprises rectangular box having an open side for access.
A tongue, similar to the tongues on the key tags of the Key Track
system, is fixed to the bottom wall of the container and depends
therefrom. A touch memory device is carried by the tongue and the
tongue is configured to be inserted into the slots in the Key Track
drawer. A sliding panel is adapted to slide onto the container from
the bottom side thereof and to cover the open side for closing the
container and capturing a key in the container. When a key is
closed in the container, the container can be placed in one of the
slots in a Key Track drawer with its tongue and touch memory device
extending into the slot in the traditional way. The attached
controller is thus able to detect and track the insertion and
subsequent removal of the container from the drawer. Since the
sliding panel is slid onto the box from the bottom to close the
container, the panel cannot be removed for access to the key
without first removing the container from the Key Track drawer,
which will be detected by the controller. Thus, since the keys
cannot be removed without detection, a measure of security for
relatively expensive remote entry transmitters and keys is
provided. In addition, since the key is closed within the
container, it is protected and its identity cannot be determined
simply by looking into the Key Track drawer. Only the controller is
able to identify the location of a particular key within the drawer
upon a proper query by an authorized user.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the carrier and Key
Track system are enhanced to expand the system beyond its
traditional use for tracking keys to a general object tracking and
control system. This embodiment is particularly useful for tracking
valuable objects such as jewelry or for tracking the use of
controlled substances such as narcotics and medication. A set of
containers is provided, each container having a box with an open
side and a hinged panel that covers the open side and closes the
container. The container is provided with a slot or pocket in which
a printed circuit board can be slid. The printed circuit board
carries a memory device storing a ID code and may also carry other
components such as a microcontroller, ancillary memory, an RF
transmitter, an RFID tag, and related components. Conductive pads
on the printed circuit board are coupled to the components on the
board for electronically accessing the components.
A drawer or other storage receptacle is provided for receiving the
containers of this embodiment. The drawer has an overlay panel
formed with an array of openings or bays each sized to receive one
of the containers. A printed circuit back plane is disposed behind
the overlay panel and has a plurality of sets of conductive
contacts, each set of contacts positioned to engage the conductive
pads of a container's printed circuit board when the container is
inserted into the corresponding bay. The contacts are wired in a
data matrix, which is connected to a computer-based controller as
in the traditional Key Track system. Use of this embodiment is
similar to use of the traditional Key Track system. The controller
detects and logs the removal and replacement of containers in the
drawer by reading the ID codes of the memory devices associated
with the containers.
This embodiment also may include a further enhancement wherein the
printed circuit boards in the containers are more sophisticated and
are configured to log the opening and closing of the container
between the times when it is checked out and checked back in at the
storage drawer. The container may also be provided with sensors to
gather other information in the interim period such as, for
example, the times when the container passed location transmitters,
identification numbers from patient arm bands or ID buttons, or
other information. This information can be downloaded to the
controller upon check in and correlated with other information to
provide valuable data compilations and reports. Such information is
useful, for example, in the dispensing of drugs to patients in a
hospital, where it is desired to log when the drugs are checked
out, by whom, at what times the container was opened while checked
out for access to the drugs stored inside, and the identities of
patients provided with drugs. This information can be correlated to
medication schedules for patients to insure that patients are being
provided with the proper drugs at the proper times.
The printed circuit boards of this embodiment can be even further
enhanced with simple RF transmitters and/or RFID tags available
from a variety of manufacturers. RFID tags are adapted to transmit
a code and/or other information to a receiver coupled to the
computer-based controller and can be used as an alternative to
touch memory devices. Other RF transmitters can be provided if
desired to transmit a code upon the occurrence of prescribed events
such as, for example, each time the door of the container is opened
and its contents accessed. Such functionality provides for real
time tracking of access to the container in the interim between
check-out and check-in times.
Thus, an improved and enhanced method and system for tracking and
controlling keys and other objects is now provided. The traditional
Key Track system is enhanced to accommodate large numbers of keys
on a key ring, bulky or unusually shaped keys and remote entry
transmitters, and valuable or controlled loose objects other than
keys. In one embodiment, object containers are provided with active
electronics, which tracks and logs access to the container between
the times when it is check out and checked back in. In another
embodiment, an RF transmitter or RFID tag is provided for radio
frequency communication to the controller. These and other
features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become more
apparent upon review of the detailed description set forth below
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which
are briefly described as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a closable carrier usable with the
Key Track system to store and track large numbers of keys on a key
ring.
FIG. 2 illustrates the carrier of FIG. 1 inserted in one of the
slots of a tray of the Key Track system.
FIG. 3A illustrates a guide or overlay usable with the Key Track
system and carrier of FIG. 1 to align and secure the carrier,
prevent its opening while mounted in the tray, and to partition the
slots of the tray to receive multiple carriers.
FIG. 3B illustrates another embodiment of the container guide in
the form of a wire grid defining slots for receiving and aligning
carriers.
FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of an alternate embodiment of
the carrier for use with the Key Track system when it is desired to
track unusually shaped or sized keys, such as keys incorporating
remote entry transmitters.
FIG. 5 is a perspective partially cut-away view of an embodiment of
the invention in the form of an object tracking system for tracking
objects such as jewelry or narcotics.
FIG. 6 is a perspective partially exploded view of the carrier of
the embodiment of FIG. 5 illustrating the removable printed circuit
board thereof.
FIG. 7 is a functional electronic schematic diagram showing a
preferred circuit for use with the embodiment of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is an exploded view illustrating the mounting of a touch
memory device in a conducting rather than a non conducting tag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like
numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1
illustrates a carrier for ringed keys that embodies principles of
the invention in one preferred form. The carrier 11 comprises a
generally rectangular box-shaped body 12 formed by a top panel 13,
a bottom panel 14, a left side panel 16, a right side panel 17, and
a back panel 18. A front panel 19 preferably is hinged along one
side to the edge of the right side panel 17 (or, alternatively to
the left or any other side panel) to provide a selectively closable
hinged door on the carrier. Locking tabs 30 and 35 preferably are
provided on the door and box. The locking tabs have holes that
align with one another when the hinged door is closed. A lock or
tamper evident ring can be inserted through the aligned holes. In
this way, the carrier can be locked shut if desired so that only
authorized personnel may access its contents. Alternatively, a
tamper evident ring that, when cut, indicates that the carrier has
been accessed may be provided. Finally, the carrier preferably is
provided with an appropriate latch 10, which may be any suitable
form of latch, for releasably latching the door shut when closed to
hold the key ring securely in place.
The bottom panel 14 is provided with a slot 21 that extends from
the front edge of the bottom panel to a position inwardly spaced
from the front edge. A later partition 23 spans the left and right
side panels and a pair of guide walls 20 extend between the
partition 23 and the bottom panel 14 straddling the location of the
slot 21 to define a guide slot 22 between the guide walls 20.
An ID tag 24 is adapted to be received in the guide slot 22 and
comprises a head 26 from which a relatively thin tongue 27 depends.
The head 26 is sized and shaped to slide, as indicated by arrows
25, into and fit partially within the guide 22 with its tongue 27
projecting downwardly through the slot 21. The tongue 27 may be
formed of plastic if desired but also may be formed of a more
durable and tamper resistant material such as stainless steel or
aluminum. A tongue of stainless steel or aluminum renders the ID
tag much less susceptible to tampering or defeat by cutting the ID
tag and absconding with the keys, although it requires electrically
isolated mounting of the touch memory device as described in more
detail below. The location of the ID tag in the slot as described
also serves to locate the key ring and the keys attached thereto in
the upper portion of the carrier. In this way, the keys are
isolated from the tag, are held in place in an organized fashion,
and do not interfere with operation of the touch memory device.
The head 26 of the ID tag is adapted to be mounted on a key ring
with a group of keys 31 (only a few of which are shown in FIG. 1
for clarity) and includes a hole for this purpose. A touch memory
device, such as DS1990A touch memory device available from Dallas
Semiconductor, is attached to and carried by the tongue 27 in a
manner similar to that in which touch memory devices are carried by
the key tags in the standard Key Track system. If the tongue 27 is
made of plastic or other electrically insulating material, the
touch memory device, which has a radially projecting rim at one
end, is simply pressed through an appropriately sized hole in the
tongue and secured with a mounting ring. In the event the tongue is
made of steel, aluminum, or another conducting material, it may be
necessary first to install an insulating spacer and then the touch
memory device to insulate the touch memory device from the
conductive mounting material of the tongue (see FIG. 8). In either
case, the touch memory device is carried by the tongue as
shown.
In use, the key ring 29 and keys 31 are placed in the carrier 11 as
indicated by arrows 25 with the head 26 of the ID tag 24 being
inserted into the guide 22 such that its tongue 27 projects
downwardly from the container 12 through the slot 21. When so
inserted, the keys and key ring reside in the upper portion of the
carrier above the location of the partition 23 and the tongue 27
with its touch memory device projects downwardly from the bottom
panel 14 through the slot 21. The front panel 19 can then be hinged
shut to enclose and contain the keys and keep them from flopping
about. The front panel can be releasably latched shut with latch 10
if desired and a lock or tamper evident ring can be installed in
the locking tabs 30 and 35 for enhanced security.
When the front panel 19 is closed, the carrier 11 with keys inside
forms a rectangular box as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the tongue 27
of the ID tag projecting downwardly from the bottom panel 14 of the
box. The carrier can then be inserted into a Key Track tray 32 with
the tongue of the ID tag extending into one of the slots 33 of the
tray to engage the touch memory device with the pair of electrical
contacts corresponding to the slot. The ID code stored in the touch
memory device can then be read by the attached computer-based
controller to determine the presence and location in the tray of
the keys associated with the ID tag and to determine when the
carrier and its keys are removed. The process, structure, and
electronics for reading the touch memory device is described in
detail in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,628 and also disclosed in the
manufacturer's specifications and thus need not be described in
detail here.
It will be noted from FIG. 2 that, when the carrier of the
illustrated embodiment is inserted in a selected slot of the key
track storage tray 32, the carrier covers the two slots of the tray
on either side of the slot in which its ID tag extends, rendering
these slots unavailable for use by other key tags or carriers.
While the carrier is shown to cover two slots in FIG. 2, it will be
understood that less or more slots might be covered and rendered
inaccessible depending upon the size of the carrier. This does not
represent a particular disadvantage, however, since the controller
will simply read that the covered slots are unoccupied and key tags
inserted in other available slots will still be detected and
identified when they are present. Although a Key Track drawer will
accommodate fewer carriers than traditional key tags, the advantage
of tracking and controlling large numbers of keys on key rings in
the same way that single keys on key tags are tracked far outweigh
the disadvantage of any reduced capacity of the drawer. As detailed
below, custom overlays or custom trays may also be used to
accommodate the carriers if desired. Further, additional drawers
can be added to the system as need to accommodate larger numbers of
key tags and carriers and any mix of object carriers and key tags
can be used with the existing drawer configuration of the Key Track
system.
FIG. 3A illustrates an enhancement of the carrier system of FIGS. 1
and 2. Here, an overlay or guide 36 is provided for covering a row
of slots 33 in the Key Track tray and providing a positioning guide
for a plurality of carriers 11. The guide 36, which can be formed
of punched and bent sheet metal, comprises opposed sides 37 and
opposed ends 38 (only one end is visible in FIG. 3) that form a
generally rectangular box shaped structure. A flange 39 is provided
at the bottom of each end 38 and holes 41 are bored in the flange
for attaching and securing the guide 36 to the Key Track tray 32.
The top 40 of the guide 36 is formed to define at least one socket
or receptacle 42 that is sized to receive the carrier 11 therein.
Preferably, the receptacle 42 is provided with guide flanges 43
projecting downwardly therefrom to guide the carrier 11 into the
receptacle when it is inserted therein as indicated by arrows
46.
Additional receptacles 44 are also provided in the guide 36
extending therealong and defining an array of carrier receptacles.
The guide 36 thus functions to provide an array of receptacles for
receiving carriers 11 with each socket properly aligning its
respective carrier with a selected slot 33 in the Key Track tray.
In addition, the receptacles hold the hinged front panels 19 of the
carriers shut when they are in position within the receptacles.
This is important because it prevents a thief from opening the
receptacle without first removing it from the tray, which will be
detected by the controller. If an unauthorized removal is detected
by the controller, appropriate alarms can be generated and actions
taken to alert security personnel. Thus, an extra measure of
security is provided by the overlay.
FIG. 3B illustrates an alternate embodiment of a carrier guide or
overlay for attachment to a Key Track tray to partition the tray
into receptacles for receiving carriers. In this embodiment, the
tray 32 of a key track drawer is shown with an array of slots 33
for receiving tongues of key tags bearing touch memory devices. A
carrier 11, as previously described, is formed of a box 16 and a
closable hinged door 19. A tongue 27 depends from the carrier and
bears a touch memory device 28, a wire frame guide 141 is formed
with spaced apart elongated rails 42 bridged by a set of spaced
apart connecting segments 144. The rails 142 and connecting
segments 144 define an array of rectangular receptacles each sized
to receive a carrier 11 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3B.
Vertically depending legs 146 project downwardly from the rails 142
and 143 and are anchored to the key track tray with appropriate
fasteners such as shoulders and bolts. The legs 146 secure the wire
frame guide to the key track tray and properly position the
rectangular receptacles so that when a carrier 11 is inserted into
one of the receptacles, the tongue 27 thereof is directed into one
of the slots 33. Thus, the wire frame guide performs a function
similar to that of the guide of FIG. 3A, but with a less expensive
wire frame structure. Further, since the wire frame is more open
than a bent metal guide, the slots 33 can be used with traditional
key tags when not holding a carrier and much better visibility is
provided for visually identifying the objects in the tray. A simple
two row guide is shown in FIG. 3B. It should be understood,
however, that multiple row guides are possible and within the scope
of the invention. Indeed, the entire key track panel could be
overlaid with a wire grid allowing insertion of carriers and/or key
tags in any combination. Further, the us of guides such as those
illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B allows the carriers of this
invention to be used with vertically oriented panels and backplanes
that may be, for example, mounted on a wall. More efficient storage
configurations are therefore possible.
FIG. 4 illustrates another carrier for use with the Key Track
system. This carrier is designed to allow odd shaped, bulky, or
expensive keys to be tracked with the key track system in the same
way as a loose key attached to an ID tag. These types of keys
include keys, such as key 71, with large heads that incorporate
transmitters for remotely locking and unlocking the doors of a
vehicle to which they correspond. Remote door lock transmitters not
incorporated into the vehicle key can also be tracked as well as
other small items. The carrier 56 comprises a case 57, which can be
made of molded plastic or other appropriate material. The case 57
is formed by a right side panel 58, a left side panel 59, a top
panel 61, a bottom panel 62, and a back panel 63, which, in the
preferred embodiment, are unitarily molded of plastic. The side
panels 58 and 59 are formed with respective grooves or races 64 and
66 that extend along the outside top edges thereof. The grooves 64
and 66 are shaped and sized for slidably receiving a sliding cover
67 having depending sides or skirts 68 on three sides thereof.
Inwardly opposed ribs (not visible in FIG. 4) are formed on the
inside portions of the side skirts 68 and are sized and positioned
to slide into the grooves 64 and 66 when the sliding cover 67 is
moved onto the case 57 as indicated by arrows 69. In this way, the
case can be closed with a key or other item inside by sliding the
cover onto the case.
An ID tab 72 is provided with a touch memory or other ID device 73
and is secured at one end to the bottom panel 62 of the case 57.
The ID tab is sized and configured to be inserted into a selected
slot of a Key Track tray. In use, a key 71 is placed in the carrier
and closed therein by sliding the sliding cover 67 into place.
Preferably, the key is secured to the box with a loop of cabling or
other appropriate tether (not shown) to prevent the box from
becoming separated from its key. The carrier is then stored on the
Key Track tray by inserting its ID tab into a selected slot of the
tray. The Key Track controller can then track and control access to
the key within the carrier in the usual way. Preferably, the
carrier 57 is sized to take up no more than one space on the Key
Track tray so that other key tags or carriers can be inserted into
adjacent slots of the tray.
The carriers of FIGS. 1 through 4 have been described in terms of
the storage and tracking of keys. It will be clear to those of
ordinary skill in the art, however, that a wide variety of items
can be stored in the carriers and thus tracked by the key track
controller. For example, use of these carriers might convert a car
key tracking system into a system for tracking jewelry, narcotics,
or other small valuable or dangerous items. An added advantage when
tracking such items is that the items are concealed and hidden
within their carriers. According, only the Key Track controller is
able to inform an authorized user of the location within the drawer
of each item. An unauthorized user or would be thief cannot simply
look into a drawer full of carriers and locate any particular item.
Other uses for the carriers of this invention might be conceived by
those of skill in the art such that, clearly, the present invention
is not intended to be limited just to the storage and tracking of
keys.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an object tracking and control system that
embodies principles of the present inventions in yet another form.
The object tracking system illustrated in these figures can be used
to store, monitor, and track a wide variety of items from
automotive keys and apartment keys to narcotics and jewelry, to
important files or papers. The system comprises a carrier 81 that,
in the illustrated embodiment, is a rectangular box, for containing
items to be tracked and controlled. The carrier 81 is sized to be
received in a rectangular socket 82 formed in the surface of a
receptacle panel 83 the panel 83 may be formed with a large array
of receptacles for receiving and continuing a corresponding large
number of carriers.
A back plane 84 is mounted behind or beneath the receptacle panel
83 and preferably is spaced therefrom a distance substantially
equal to the height of the rectangular carrier 81. In this way,
when the carrier is inserted into the receptacle 82 to the back
plane, its top panel 86 is substantially flush with the surface of
the receptacle panel 83. As described in more detail below, this
configuration inhibits a thief from removing the carrier from the
receptacle panel by force.
It will be understood that while only one receptacle and one
carrier is illustrated in FIG. 5 for clarity of description, a
complete system preferably would include a receptacle panel formed
with an array of a plurality of receptacles for receiving a
plurality of carriers.
In addition to its top panel 86, the carrier 81 is formed with a
bottom panel 87, a left side panel 88, a right side panel 89, a
back panel 91, and a hinged front panel 92 (FIG. 6). The back panel
91 in the preferred embodiment is formed with a slot or pocket 108
that extends from the bottom panel 87 to the top panel 86. The
pocket 108 has an opening 96 formed therein adjacent the bottom
panel of the carrier. The pocket is sized to receive and hold a
relatively narrow printed circuit board 93 with a portion of the
bottom edge of the printed circuit board exposed through the
opening 96 for purposes described in more detail below.
The lower left-hand corner of the carrier 81 is formed with a latch
99 defined by a sloped strike 101 and an indentation 102. A
solenoid and plunger assembly 103 is mounted to the back plane 84
at a position adjacent the location of the latch 99 by means of an
appropriate mounting bracket (omitted from FIG. 5 for clarity). The
assembly 103 includes a plunger 104 that is spring biased to its
extended position (the spring assembly is not shown in FIG. 5 but
spring biased solenoid assemblies are available commercially, are
well known to those of skill in the art, and can be retracted by
application of a control voltage to the solenoid.) The strike 101
formed on the carrier is positioned to engage and retract the
spring biased plunger 104 of the solenoid 103 when the carrier is
inserted into the receptacle 82. When the carrier is fully
inserted, the plunger 104 snaps into the indentation 102 to lock
the carrier in place within the receptacle. The carrier can be
released with an appropriate control signal from the controller to
retract the plunger 104 from the indentation 102. Thus the strike
and plunger form an electronically releasable lock that secures the
carrier in place in its receptacle until an appropriate signal is
provided by the controller. Similar locks can also be provided with
the carrier embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4 if desired.
A leaf spring or other spring 107 preferably is provided for
exerting upward biasing force on a carrier locked in the
receptacle. In this way, when the carrier is released by applying
an appropriate control signal to the solenoid 103 to retract its
plunger, the leaf spring causes the carrier to "pop" up out of the
receptacle so that it can be grasped for removal.
As illustrated in FIG. 5 and perhaps best seen in FIG. 6, the
circuit board 93 within the pocket 108 is etched to expose a set of
conductive pads 94 positioned to be exposed through the opening of
the pocket 96 when the circuit board is in place therein. A set of
corresponding contacts 97 (FIG. 5) are fixed to the back plane 84
and are positioned for electrically contacting the conducting pads
94 when the carrier is inserted completely into the receptacle 82.
The contacts 97 are coupled through a data matrix or other
appropriate communications buss to a remote computer-based
controller as described in my prior U.S. patent for connecting the
electronic components of the circuit board to the controller.
Referring now to FIG. 6, the carrier 81 is illustrated with its
hinged front panel 92 (which may also be a sliding or other
appropriate type of panel) open and with the circuit board 93
displaced from the pocket 108 of the carrier. Arrows 112 indicate
insertion of the circuit board 93 into the pocket 108. Once a
circuit board is inserted and locked into place within a carrier,
it becomes associated with the carrier and thus associated with
articles stored in the carrier.
The circuit board 93 carries integrated circuit components for
performing the method of the invention. In one embodiment, for
example the circuit board 93 is provided with a touch memory chip
such as the touch memory devices provided on ID tags as discussed
above. In this case, the chip preferably is surface mounted to the
board to save space ether than being housed in a metal case or
button. However, the primary function of the memory chip remains
the same; that is, to store and transmit its unique internal code
when appropriately polled with a polling signal. The memory chip is
electrically coupled to the conducting pads 94 at the bottom of the
circuit board and the contacts 97 on the back plane are configured
and positioned to engage the conductive pads for receiving the ID
code of the memory device and transmit it through the data matrix
to the controller for detecting the absence or presence and
location of the associated carrier within one of the
receptacles.
Alternatively, the circuit board might be provided with more
sophisticated electronics including a microcontroller or
microprocessor 118 and associated components including a crystal
121 and battery 119. A wide variety of configurations are possible
and a simple circuit is depicted in FIG. 6 for clarity. The
microcontroller, which includes internal memory, may be coupled to
an integrated circuit RF transmitter that can be actuated by the
microcontroller. A reed switch 113 can be coupled to the front
panel of the carrier for communicating a signal to the
microcontroller 118 whenever the front panel 92 of the carrier is
opened or closed. A light emitting diode (LED) 98 is provided at
the top of the circuit board 93 and projects through an opening 111
in the top of the carrier when the board is inserted into the
pocket 108. Preferably, the microcontroller is programmed to light
the led whenever the carrier is selected by the system controller
of the tracking system. In this way, a user can easily find a
selected carrier by identifying the carrier to the controller,
whereupon the controller lights the LED of the selected carrier and
releases it by actuating the appropriate solenoid.
The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 has many and varied applications.
For example, the microcontroller 118 preferably is programmed such
that, during the time the carrier is removed from its storage
location, a record is kept in the memory of the microcontroller of
the times when the hinged front panel of the carrier is open or
closed. When the carrier is returned to its storage location, this
stored data is downloaded and becomes a record of the use of the
carrier and its contents between the times it was checked-out and
checked back in.
Alternatively, the microcontroller can be programmed to activate
the RF transmitter at intermittent times while the carrier is
checked out or to activate the transmitter whenever the door of the
carrier is opened or closed. This information, when transmitted
back to the main computer based controller, can be tallied in real
time as a means of tracking use of the contents of the carrier.
These capabilities are useful in a wide variety of situations such
as, for example, to track not only when medication was checked out
to give to a patient, but the time at which the carrier was opened
to administer the medication. Questions about medication delivery
can thus be readily answered. A wide variety of other sensors and
data gathering capabilities can be provided in such a carrier
embodiment including, but not limited to, biometrics information,
time and ambient temperature information, information gathered
through data ports, and information from various types of on board
switches. Further, with on board intelligence, enhanced
substantially autonomous functionality is possible. For example,
the carrier may be provided with an internal lock that is activated
only when an authorized user has checked out or attempts to open
the carrier.
Another use of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is in tracking keys
to an apartment complex. One carrier might, for example, house keys
to an entire floor of apartments with each key coupled to the
microcontroller so that the microcontroller can detect when a
specific key is removed. A detailed record of when the key set was
checked out and when each specific key was removed from the carrier
is thus easily maintained for use in verifying when personnel had
access to particular apartments. The use of RF transmitters
associated with objects expands the effectiveness of tracking
systems greatly.
FIG. 7 is a functional schematic diagram of a circuit usable in the
implementation of the the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6. The circuit
comprises an addressable switch in the form of an integrated
circuit coupled to the ground, data, and Vin pads of the circuit
board. The switch can be a DS2074 or other appropriate commercially
available chip if desired. I/O 1 of the addressable switch 140 is
coupled through an LED 141 and a current limiting resistor 142 to
supply voltage Vin. As an alternative to drawing Vin from the
backplane of an object tracking system, a battery 143 can be
provided on the circuit board, in which case only two pads 94 (FIG.
6), one for a data line and one for a ground, are required. I/O 2
of the addressable switch 140 is coupled to an on board sensor,
which may be a loop detector sensor to detect when an object is
removed from the carrier, a reed switch to detect opening of the
carrier, of another type of sensor depending on the intended use of
the system. Other I/O ports of the switch preferably are coupled to
other switches or elements, such as locks, latches, etc. In use,
data can be provided to or read from the addressable switch 141
through the backplane of an object control system. In this way, the
central controller of the system is able to download information
from the switch regarding events recorded in the interim between
check out and check in of the carriers upload instructions to the
carrier to, for example, turn on its LED, unlock its cover, or
otherwise.
FIG. 8 illustrates a preferred method of attaching or mounting a
touch memory device to a steel, aluminum, or other conducting plate
material, which may be used instead of a plastic tongue for added
security. An opening is formed in the conductive mounting material
150 and the opening is sized for receiving an insulation spacer 152
through which a touch memory ID button is received. An insulating
washer 153 is secured around the touch memory button on the other
side of the mounting material and a crimp ring is secured around
the touch memory button to secure it firmly in place within the
opening. In this way, touch memory buttons can be mounted in metal
tags for added security while remaining electrically isolated from
the tags, which is required for proper operation.
The invention has been described herein in terms of preferred
embodiments and methodologies. It will be obvious to those of skill
in the art, however, that various additions, deletions, and
modifications might well be made to the illustrated embodiments
without department from the spirit and scope of the invention as
set forth in the claims.
* * * * *